Parco Virgiliano, Historical park in Piedigrotta, Naples, Italy
Parco Virgiliano is an archaeological site with Roman structures in Piedigrotta, Naples, located behind Santa Maria di Piedigrotta church. The grounds include several levels with a columbarium, the Neapolitan Crypt, and stone staircases that wind through vegetation to reach the different structures.
The site opened in 1930 to mark the two-thousandth anniversary of Virgil's death. Restoration work followed in 1976 to make the Roman remains and burial monuments accessible to visitors.
The name honors the Roman poet Virgil, whose tomb has served as a pilgrimage site for centuries. The grounds connect ancient burial monuments with a later memorial to Giacomo Leopardi, whose remains were transferred here in 1837.
The entrance sits directly across from Mergellina railway station and leads through several paths to the different monuments. The staircases can be steep in places and slippery when wet, so sturdy footwear is recommended.
The Neapolitan Crypt preserves traces of medieval frescoes on its walls, which have faded over the centuries. Water conduits from the Augustan aqueduct of Serino still run through the site and testify to Roman engineering skill.
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